This invention relates to the improvements in quench presses used for the precision quenching of gears, bearing rings, and other flat and/or cylindrical shaped parts. Generally, the quench press is used to help correct the distortions that exist in a part immediately prior to the press quenching operation. Additional distortions that are caused by the actual quenching process itself are also minimized.
Obtaining a minimum amount of distortion is very critical in the production of gears, bearing rings and other articles. In practice, an allowance of extra material on the part is made in the before-heat treat condition to help insure that the part can be finished after heat treatment to the proper sizes and requirements for roundness, taper, and flatness. If too little allowance is made, or if the part distorts more than predicted, then the part is many times scrapped. If an excessive allowance is made, then the time and/or cost for grinding, lapping, or sizing by other methods increases and thus becomes an even more expensive operation. Press quenching helps the manufacturer minimize the amount of extra material on the part(s) prior to heat treating to minimize the cost of subsequent material removal operation needed to obtain the desired final dimensions. For carburized parts, it is very critical to minimize the distortion existing in a part after heat treatment, so that the material removed from the part in the subsequent sizing operations will leave a uniform effective case-depth on the part. The ability to minimize any distortions existing in the part after heat treatment by using a quench press can reduce the total time required for carburizing because the parts will not have to be carburized to a deeper depth to help insure that the part will have a sufficient case depth where required after the part's final sizing operations are completed. If no material is removed from the part after heat treating, a quench press can help the manufacturer produce a part with less distortions, and therefore, more dimensionally correct.
In most prior art quench presses, the frame of the machine requires heavy and expensive castings or weldments which subsequently require very accurate machining. Additionally, the nonsymmetrical configurations allow misalignment, as the frame deflects from forces involved with the quenching operation. Also in the prior art quench presses, specially designed and manufactured power cylinders would have to be used to obtain unique forces to drive three totally independent concentric rams. These cylinders would be such that they are concentric to each other and pose many problems with sealing and mounting and would be expensive to repair or replace. Also, in the prior art quench presses capable of handling parts larger than 24 inches in diameter, either the lower die plate or the upper die plate and/or rams are made to swing away and thus have a tendency of misalignment. Also in the prior art quench presses it is necessary to change and/or adjust the splash guards or guard for various heights or workpieces at much expense of time and labor, plus the inconvenience of storing and stocking a multiple of splash guards and related fasteners. Also in the prior art quench presses, the bore diameter adjustment is difficult or omitted entirely. One such bore diameter adjusting device uses a threaded spacer nut that is not accessible, is not accurate, but is easily damaged to the point that adjustments are very difficult. Also in the prior art quench presses, access to remove the part from the press has been limited since there is generally only one door or access provided. Also in the prior art quench presses, the proper quenching cycle is not available because no means of delaying the introduction of the quenching media to the quenching chamber were included.